David Bowie by Man Power

Man Power dropped in for our Legends feature to take us through a whole host of David Bowie classics.

“A lot has been said on David Bowie since he died last year, and I guess this might seem like an obvious choice. The thing is though, it wasn’t actually an obvious choice to me until he died. Thats not me saying I jumped on some kind of grief stricken band wagon, but more that he seemed like such an immortal institution that it wasn’t until the surprise news of his death that I was caused to reflect on how much of an influence he had on me, and how much his music had been part of my life since first listening to him in my fathers car as a child.

The biggest thing his legacy has taught me personally, is that its ok to reinvent yourself as long as you’re doing it for the right reasons, it’s alright to play the game if it gets your music out there to the people you want to understand you, and it’s alright to make the occasional mis-step if you’re prolific and dedicated to your own message.

Picking just ten songs is an impossible ask really, so this is kind of stream of consciousness.” – Man Power

David Bowie –Five Years

Its my favourite Bowie track. Its such a crisp clear narrative but through such an honest yet skewed lens. It tells the story of moments following a news report that the world will end in 5 years, which is the set up for the ensuing concept album. Concept tracks and albums are invariably absolutely awful, but this is just pure story telling. This one comes all the way from 1993! Deep infectious Bass grooves and bumpy beats combined with spiritual phrases. Still sounds fresh after all these years. One of the first songs where he started sampling his drums which made his tracks really stand out.

David Bowie – Jump They Say

Not his greatest song, but I was obsessed when I heard this at 13, which caused my dad to buy a bootleg tape copy of black tie white noise for the car just to shut me up. After about 2 weeks of listening to it on repeat he got sick of it and bought changes 1&2 as well, which was the start of me getting really familiar with Bowie.

Pat Metheny ft. David Bowie – This Is Not America

I only heard this for the first time about 3 or 4 years ago at the apartment of my friend Chris Stoker (Not An Animal / Bad Passion). It was after a night then day then a further night of enjoying ourselves, and it was the ideal tonic as I lay squirming on his chesterfield. Pat Metheny is obviously another legend, and one of the great things about Bowie was his versatility in working with other artists and the fact that his catalogue is so vast I’m still discovering amazing new music by him now, a year after his death.

Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure

I was such a huge queen fan growing up. Bowie and Mercury work so well together on this. There’s a great documented story that the plan was that both artists did their vocal takes in isolation. Mercury was in awe of Bowies capability to match every move he did, being unaware that Bowie was simply just sneaking in to the recording sessions to get the drop on what the other was doing, just to freak him out.

David Bowie with music by Giorgio Moroder ‎– Cat People (Putting Out Fire)

David Bowie pretending to be Lou Read with music by vintage era Moroder. Whats not to like?

David Bowie – Fame

I got drunk and cried playing this as the last song the weekend of his death. (I mean, I was reeeeeeaaaallly drunk).

David Bowie – Love is Lost (James Murphy “Hello Steve Reich” Remix)

A set closer for me since it came out. Another unbelievable partnership wherein the outcome manages to be even more than the sum of its incredible parts.

David Bowie – Weeping Wall

This comes from Low, which I guess is the trendiest Bowie album to like. It’s an instrumental, so there’s an argument for crediting it to Brian Eno, who produced the album. Bowie’s strength was as much his capability of curating pop culture influences though, so either way I feel he deserves the credit for having this on his album.

David Bowie – The Jean Genie

Bowie casually invents Glam Rock on a day off.

David Bowie – Blackstar

Its just fucking amazing. Bowie enlists an experimental Jazz Band to make a slice of organically conceived modern electronica, that also happens to reference his entire career while sounding entirely new. The last single he released while he was alive felt like a knowing bow in front of the curtains before his exit. Lazarus may be more confessional from his almost posthumous album, but this just has everything.

A great trip down memory lane there with Man Power picking some absolute gems from the legendary David Bowie.